Rocky Road buy links:
Connect with Josi at:
Culinary Mysteries by Josi Kilpack
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Rocky Road - Blog Tour & Giveaway
Rocky Road buy links:
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Mom at Last (How I Never Gave Up on Becoming a Mother)
Her biological clock ticking louder each day, Sharon Simon
felt her heart sink as yet another “Mr. Wonderful” turned out to be a
frog---not the prince she was waiting for. But when the right man did come
along, their journey toward parenthood seemed more like a machete trail through
a jungle than the smooth path of her dreams. Enduring multiple failed IVFs and
the loss of their unborn twins, Sharon and her husband decided to
adopt---taking a whirlwind trip to Russia and navigating the rough waters of
international adoption red tape. Their journey ended, or rather began, when two
baby boys were placed in their arms for the long trip home.
Part love story, part adoption memoir, and all heart, Mom at Last is the story of one woman’s fierce determination to become a mother. Full of setbacks and emotionally devastating pitfalls, ultimately the journey leads her to true love and pure joy. Mom at Last will inspire women who find themselves on that sometimes difficult journey to motherhood, giving hope that motherhood is possible and encouraging women to never give up on their dreams. While every journey to motherhood is different, Mom at Last lets women know they are not alone in the struggle toward motherhood. (Goodreads)
Mom at Last is a book that
documents Sharon Simons' journey at becoming a mother. Her determination
to become a mother is just remarkable and truly shows that if you really put
your heart and mind to something, you can make it happen! As a mother to
an adopted daughter, I can fully relate to Sharon's NEED (not just want) to be
a Mom. Although my story was a much easier journey to adopt, that's not
always the case. Mom at
Last is a touching
documentary of Sharon's journey at being a mom.
Sharon had a dream to
become a mother which she was determined to follow. Her path was difficult but
ultimately successful. Born in New Jersey and living in Delaware, she is
married to her soul mate Rick and the very proud Mom to her two sons Dylan and
Hunter.
Sharon struggled to
become a Mom, dealing with the uncertain world of infertility including three
In Vitro Fertilizations, Tubal Pregnancy, and the Loss of a Pregnancy with twin
boys at 19 weeks. That loss only made her more determined to become a Mom.
Thankfully that dream became a reality due to International Adoption.
Sharon is inspired to
share her experiences, to offer insight, and inspire other women find their
strength to achieve their goal of becoming mothers. Her passion involves using
her journey to motherhood to educate and help women become a "Mom at
Last". Her main message is to let women everywhere know that when you
finally hold your child in your arms, no matter how that child became your
child, you will understand and appreciate your journey to motherhood.
Connect with Sharon:
***Chick Lit Central
has an interview with Sharon along with a giveaway. Click HERE to check it out***
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Marry Me, Cowboy - Review
Review by
Marlene Engel
Tegan and Chet, both
riders in the rodeo, are about to get married. Where most marry for
love, these two are planning to marry for convenience. Tegan is an
Australian native whose Visa is about to expire in the next few weeks. She
knows that if she doesn’t marry an American citizen soon that she risks losing
her Visa and being forced to go back to Australia. Although
Australia is home to her, she has no home to go to. Her family sold
the farm that she was hoping to take over. She told them that she
was only going to be gone for a couple years. She even came home
when she was able to, but that didn’t stop them. And now Tegan has
no place to call home. Betrayed and determined to find a way to stay
in the states, her and Chet arranged for this marriage to take place. However,
when the wedding day came, Chet couldn’t go through with it. Scared
and confused, Tegan is left to figure out what she’s going to do now.
Jamie MacCreadie knows
how to draw the attention of the crowd at the rodeo and the women on the
streets. He’s a man of few words, but could get what he wants simply
with his smile. Jamie and Chet have been best friends, but Tegan
isn’t too keen on Jamie. From the very beginning their personalities
clashed, but something has changed. Trying to make Chet feel better
about his decision to call off the wedding, therefore not being able to help
Tegan, Jamie offered to marry her. Tegan brushed off his offer, but
couldn’t help noticing the physical attraction that she was starting to feel for
him. She doesn’t understand why she’s having these feelings,
especially since her and Jamie don’t even get along. But could he
have been serious? And could Tegan really consider his offer?
Marry Me, Cowboy is such
an amazing book. From the very beginning I felt like I was on a
rodeo ride of emotions. Each character had their own issues that they
were dealing with, but through it all they were always there for each
other.
Purchase at:
Amazon * Barnes&Noble * Itunes
This is the second
novella in The Cooper Mountain Rodeo Series and I have to say that I’m
thoroughly enjoying this series. The cowboys are hot, the location
is laid back and the stories are sexy. I’m anxious to read what the
last two novellas in the series have in store for us. I would highly
recommend these books. If you’re looking for some romance with
twists and turns, then this is the series for you!
Lilian Darcy was born on
Valentine’s Day. This auspicious date, as well as a love of reading, set her
destiny as a writer of romance and women’s fiction from an early age. She has
also written extensively for Australian theatre and television, under another
name. Her plays have been professionally performed by some of Australia’s most
prestigious theatre companies, and have received two award nominations for Best
Play from the Australian Writers Guild, while in 1990 she was the co-recipient
of an Australian Film Institute award for best TV mini-series. She has now
written over eighty romances for Harlequin, as well as several mainstream
novels, including Cafe du Jour, originally published by Mira Books Australia.
Connect with Lilian Darcy
at:
Learn more about Montana Born at:
Monday, September 23, 2013
Rescued By A Stranger Blog Tour & Giveaway
Rescued By a Stranger
By: Lizbeth Selvig
Avon Romance
Blurb:
She’s a woman full of dreams
When a stranger arrives in town on a vintage motorcycle, Jill Carpenter has no idea her life is about to change forever. She never expected her own personal knight in shining armor would be an incredibly charming and handsome southern man-but one with a deep secret.
He’s a man hoping to outrun a tragedy
When Chase Preston jumped on his motorcycle to escape his wounded life, he didn’t expect the perfect woman to fall into his arms... literally! But though he can’t deny his feelings for the sweet and beautiful Jill, he doesn’t see any way he and his mistake-filled past will fit into her bright future.
When a stranger arrives in town on a vintage motorcycle, Jill Carpenter has no idea her life is about to change forever. She never expected her own personal knight in shining armor would be an incredibly charming and handsome southern man-but one with a deep secret.
He’s a man hoping to outrun a tragedy
When Chase Preston jumped on his motorcycle to escape his wounded life, he didn’t expect the perfect woman to fall into his arms... literally! But though he can’t deny his feelings for the sweet and beautiful Jill, he doesn’t see any way he and his mistake-filled past will fit into her bright future.
Falling in love may require more than either can give
The longer Chase stays in Kennison Falls, the more deeply Jill and the people of her home town pull him in. The more Jill discovers heroic qualities in Chase, the more she wants to find a home in his arms-if only he would trust her with the truth. But will truth tear them apart when Jill’s dreams start coming true and Chase’s past finally returns to haunt him? Or, can they get beyond dreams to find the love that will rescue their two hearts?
The longer Chase stays in Kennison Falls, the more deeply Jill and the people of her home town pull him in. The more Jill discovers heroic qualities in Chase, the more she wants to find a home in his arms-if only he would trust her with the truth. But will truth tear them apart when Jill’s dreams start coming true and Chase’s past finally returns to haunt him? Or, can they get beyond dreams to find the love that will rescue their two hearts?
Teaser:
“You must be awful tired,” Chase said. “You haven’t stopped
moving all day. Want something to drink? There’s a water pitcher in the
refrigerator, or I saw hot cocoa mix and some tea.”
“Are you going to have something?”
“I’m not a tea man, but I’ll heat some water for the cocoa
if you like.”
“Perfect.”
He eased from the couch, and Jill closed her eyes. Angel
shifted and Jill stroked her head rhythmically. Nothing hurt. Nothing pressed
on her body or her mind. Chase didn’t ask her what she’d done today, what she
was doing tomorrow or next week or next fall. He shuffled pots in the kitchen
and it sounded safe and comfortable .
She opened her eyes to a dim room. Warmth from a thick quilt
cocooned her. Gentle snoring from the end of the sofa filled the room, and she
lifted her head to see Angel curled like a little husky at her feet. Chase was
nowhere to be seen. Struggling to her seat, she winced slightly at the
stiffness in her shoulder and squinted at a mug on the coffee table in the
middle of the floor. That’s when she heard it again. The voice that had awoken
her.
“No.” Chase spoke softly, urgently, a note of despair in his
voice. “She can’t be gone. You’re the…Brody…have to save her.” His voice
trailed off into unintelligible syllables.
Jill stood, curious but confused. Who was he talking to?
Someone in his sleep? What time was it? She pressed the glow button on her
watch and read 2:15 a.m.
“This isn’t our place anymore.” Chase mumbled again. “Didn’t
want. My fault. Brody…failed.”
He was curled into a loose ball on his side, fully clothed,
on top of the bed quilt. Nothing moved, he didn’t thrash like a victim of
nightmares supposedly did, and the only indication he was dreaming was a slight
tic around his closed eyes. A deep frown.
Carefully she touched his shoulder. “Chase?”
“Huh?” Like a trap snapping shut, his hand shot out and clamped
around her wrist. She screeched. “What the —” he began, and bolted upright.
“Jill? What’s wrong?”
“Oh, lord, I was about to ask you the same thing. You scared
the crap out of me.” She looked down at her wrist and he followed her eyes.
When he realized how tightly he held her, his fingers sprang open.
“Sorry! Sorry.” He released a huge sigh and raked his hand
through his hair. “You can’t sneak up on a guy from the hood.”
“The hood?”
“Memphis. Where I lived, it wasn’t cool to startle someone.”
“I’m really sorry too. You were —mumbling in your sleep. I
was making sure you’re okay.”
He rubbed his eyes. “Was I saying anything interesting?”
“You were trying to save someone.”
He went still. She stroked the side of his arm. “Is
everything okay?”
Buy
Links:
Lizbeth
Selvig lives in Minnesota with her cradle-robbing husband and a border collie
that inspired the character Dug (”Squirrel!”) in the Disney movie Up. After
working as a journalist and editor and raising an equine veterinarian daughter
and a talented musician son, Liz entered and won RWA’s Golden Heart® contest in
2010 with her contemporary romance The Rancher and the Rock Star. In her spare
time, she loves to hike, quilt, read, horseback ride, and play with her nearly
twenty four-legged grandchildren.
Author Links
WebsiteBlog
Rafflecopter Giveaway
(Paperback of RESCUED BY A STRANGER)
Finding The Right Girl - Cover Reveal & Giveaway
Finding
the Right Girl
A Nice
GUY to Love Spin-off
By: Violet Duke
Releasing October 28th, 2013
Blurb
Brian Sullivan has been in
love twice in his lifetime. He lost his first love to early-onset Huntington’s,
and the other to his brother. And somehow, his heart has managed to
heal itself after both. Amazingly, without therapy. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t
gotten a bit more cautious, however. Lately, Brian’s been thinking that maybe
his brother’s now retired nothing-but-flings rule wasn’t such a bad idea after
all. But as the unofficial nice guy poster boy, Brian needs some help with the
whole thing. So he looks to the outrageously ‘unique,’ inexplicably enigmatic,
provokingly button-pushing Tessa Daniels.
There’s absolutely no way
he’s falling in love with this one…right?
Tessa has no idea what she
was thinking telling Brian that she was some sort of fling expert. She’s never
been flung and she sure as heck doesn’t know where or how to begin flinging a
guy like Brian. Tessa blames her temporary lapse in sanity on the
can’t-help-but-fall-for-him brain fuzz that hits her whenever she’s around him.
Not only does he have her being more herself than she’s ever been in her life,
but he’s the only man that seems to have as many demons and skeletons in the
closet as she does. What’s more, he’s got her thinking of the one thing she
stopped letting herself even hope for years ago.
A happily ever after.
National
bestselling author Violet Duke is a former professor of English Education who
is ecstatic to now be on the other side of the page writing wickedly fun
contemporary romance novels. Besides
writing and feeding her book-a-day reading addiction, she can often be found
tackling reno projects with her power tools and trying pretty much anything
without reading the directions first, or cooking 'special edition' dishes that
laugh in the face of recipes. Violet
lives in Hawaii with her two cute kids and similarly adorable husband.
Author Links:
Pre-Buy Links
Link to Follow Tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2013/09/now-booking-cover-reveal-for-finding.html
Friday, September 20, 2013
Twenty Five by Rachel Hamm - Review
Review by Darcie Czajkowski
Abigail Bronsen doesn’t want to
celebrate her birthday. Feeling unsuccessful professionally and unlucky
in love, she wishes everyone would simply forget that she is turning
twenty-five. More importantly, she wishes she could forget the list of
things to accomplish by age twenty-five that she wrote ten years ago. A
list that she cast aside, too afraid to step outside of her comfort zone.
But a car accident on her birthday
sends her colliding – literally – into Ben Harris. A man whose piercing
blue eyes mesmerize her and fill her with an undeniable calm.
Despite their obvious instant connection, the two part ways, letting fate
decide whether they would meet again.
A month later, their worlds collide
once again – at a coffee shop across from the sport complex Ben owns.
Unable to deny the innate bond they share, Abigail and Ben begin to date, their
love story unfolding as perfectly as those in the books Abigail is obsessed
with.
The relationship, Abigail’s first,
proves to be a challenge for her, as she is racked with insecurities, and her
need for Ben’s encouragement abounds. Ben, seeing past Abigail’s fears,
offers his unconditional support and affection, proving to her time and time
again that he will never leave her – even after she reveals that she is a
virgin and wants to wait until her wedding night for her first time.
Emboldened by Ben’s love, Abigail
strives for professional success, writing an article straight from her heart,
which she submits to her boss, an editor of an international magazine.
But when an opportunity lands in Abigail’s lap that is too great to pass up,
she has an unthinkable decision to make: stay with the love of her life, the
man whom she wants to marry, or follow her dream, the very dream that Ben
encouraged her to chase from the start.
Twenty-Five is a charming romance underscored by relatable
themes. Chase your dreams. Don’t be afraid. Live your life
without regret. Abigail is like many girls who don’t see themselves as
they really are. They underestimate their abilities and downplay their
physical beauty; they unfairly judge themselves to their own detriment.
While reading this story, I was reminded of the Dove social experiment,
in which each woman was instructed to describe herself to a sketch artist who
drew a picture of the woman based on that description. The ensuing result
was that the women appeared significantly less attractive in the sketches than
in real life. This experiment demonstrated that women often see
themselves in less favorable, unrealistic lights. Couched in a
sweet, fairy tale love story, Twenty-five urges women to pursue
their dreams, whatever they may be. This book is for every woman who has
ever doubted her faith in herself and wants to be reminded that we are all
capable of achieving greatness, if only we try and refuse to allow the
fear of failure to get in our way.
Rachel Hamm is
the author or Twenty-Five, a contemporary romance novel. She was born in
Buffalo, NY but grew up in Burlington, NC. Raised by northern
parents in the south, she likes to say she got the best of both
worlds. Her writing is inspired by classic authors like Jane Austen
and Charles Dickens, as well as contemporary ones like JK Rowling and Claire
LaZebnik. She loves to read and has been known to spend an entire
weekend engrossed in the adventures of her favorite characters.
Rachel now lives in
Raleigh, NC, but someday hopes to make it to London. She's pretty sure (if
reincarnation exists) she was British in another life.
Connect with Rachel at:
Chasing Hope - Blog Tour & Giveaway
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